How to File for Washington State Unemployment
Unemployment benefits help jobless residents of Washington state pay the bills until they find a new job. Approval for the state benefits is contingent on having at least 680 base working hours in the previous year. Some of these hours must have been worked in Washington.
If your employer laid you off, most likely you're eligible for benefits. If you quit, were fired or are taking a leave of absence, your claim will be reviewed to determine whether you can collect benefits. Once you've applied, benefits coordinators will contact you and your employer to get more information.
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Instructions
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Access the online benefits application (see Resources) or call 800-318-6022 to apply by phone. The telephone center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. If you call the telephone center, an operator will guide you through filing your claim.
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Answer the questions pertaining to your eligibility to complete the online application. You will have to explain whether you were disabled in the past calendar year and whether you worked in any states other than Washington. If you say yes to any of the questions, you must file your claim over the phone. Click "Click Here to Continue" at the bottom of the page to access the application.
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Enter your Social Security number once, then confirm it. Once you're done, choose "I Agree, Continue" to open the application.
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Fill in the appropriate boxes with your residential information, personal information and previous employment information. You must provide a valid contact number for old employers, especially your most recent employer.
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Submit the application and wait to be contacted. If you haven't heard anything in two weeks, contact the Employment Security Department to follow up on your application.
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References
Resources
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